South Carolina high school football player and honor roll student killed in drug deal gone bad, deputies say

A tale of guns and drugs surrounds the shocking murder of a 16-year-old boy who attended a South Carolina high school where he was an honor student and member of the football team.

An 18-year-old high school dropout and his alleged accomplice, a 16-year-old juvenile, have been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Joshua Meeks, an 11th-grader at Mauldin High School in Greenville. He was shot and killed Tuesday. Greenville County deputies found his body dumped in another county two days later, according to reports Friday.

The chilling discovery came after deputies found Joshua’s blood-splattered car in front of an apartment building in Greenville, according to the reports. Deputies said the building's tenants included the dropout, Sosa Mandiez Croft.

“During the course of investigation, investigators learned that Croft and the victim had engaged in some sort of drug deal prior to Croft stealing the victim’s car and ultimately shooting him,” the Greenville Sheriff’s Office said.

On Friday, deputies charged Lyric Lawson, 18, of Greenville, with helping Croft dispose of the body, Fox Carolina reported. Lawson, Croft and the juvenile were all behind bars.

Sosa Mandiez Croft, 18, (l.), has been charged with murder in last week's shooting death of Joshua Meeks, a 16-year-old high school football player in South Carolina. Lyric Lawson has been charged with helping Croft dumped Joshua's body. (Greenville County Sheriff's Office )

The case began as a missing teen investigation Wednesday morning, according to reports.

Joshua’s mom reported her son missing, telling deputies her son went out with friends around 9 p.m. Tuesday and never returned, the Greenville News reported.

A Mauldin Police incident report says officers learned Joshua was going to meet a new drug dealer after conducting interviews with students, the paper reported.

“Copious amounts” of blood covered the passenger seat in Joshua’s car when police found it, acording to the station.

At a bond hearing Thursday, Croft told Joshua’s family he was going to work with his lawyers to identify the “real killer,” according to the station.

"I’m going to come clean,and put it all out there; and tell my involvement of the whole situation so ya’ll can have closure even though it can’t bring him back," Croft was quoted as telling the family.

Reports described Joshua as a popular student and teammate. He was a lineman on the offense.

“Today and the coming days will not be easy. Please continue to pray for the family of Josh Meeks, Mauldin High football coach Harry Cabaniss said on Twitter. "He was loved by all who knew him and will always be loved.”

South Carolina high school football player and honor roll student killed in drug deal gone bad, deputies say
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